Chan Zuckerberg Kauaʻi Community Fund awards $1M to 26 Garden Isle nonprofits

Nearly 30 Garden Isle nonprofits will share $1 million in grant funds awarded through the Chan Zuckerberg Kauaʻi Community Fund at Hawai‘i Community Foundation.

The grant funds will be split among 26 Kauaʻi organizations as part of Priscilla Chan and her husband Mark Zuckerberg’s ongoing support for the work of nonprofits around the island.

“We have seen firsthand how the Chan Zuckerberg Kauaʻi Community Fund at [Hawai‘i Community Foundation] has positively supported communities across Kauaʻi — and in the focus areas that they care about most,” said Hawai‘i Community Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Micah Kāne. “We are grateful for Priscilla’s and Mark’s generosity and their commitment to supporting the incredible work of local organizations serving Kauaʻi.”

The organizations awarded are:

• ʻĀina Hoʻokupu O Kīlauea
• Aloha Angels
• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Catholic Charities
• Child & Family Service
• Hawaiian Community Assets
• Hoʻākeolapono Trades Academy & Institute
• Hui Hana Pa‘akai o Hanapēpē
• Iwikua
• Kauaʻi Economic Development Board
• Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project
• Kauaʻi Habitat for Humanity
• Kaulu I Ka Pono Academy
• Kauaʻi Independent Food Bank
• Kauaʻi North Shore Food Pantry
• Kauaʻi Planning and Action Alliance
• Keala Foundation
• Kīpuka Kuleana
• Kumano I Ke Ala
• Kupu
• Mālama Kaua‘i
• Nā Maka Onaona
• Permanently Affordable Living Hawai‘i
• The Hanalei Initiative
• University of Hawai‘i Foundation — Kauaʻi Community College
• Women in Need

The grants will support the general operating needs of the 26 organizations awarded, allowing them to use the funds the best way they see fit to reach maximum impact for their programs and services.

“Our family is grateful for these organizations that uplift so many people and efforts on Kauaʻi. We are inspired by their hard work and dedication,” said Chan and Zuckerberg.

Chan and Zuckerberg’s giving on the Garden Isle is driven and informed by conversations with island residents, leaders and service organizations.

The Chan Zuckerberg Kauaʻi Community Fund priority areas for 2024 reflect those conversations: education and youth, health and well-being, workforce development, affordable housing and ʻāina and culture.

“Through the vital support of dedicated funders like Priscilla and Mark, we are galvanized in our continued mission to nurture the next generation’s connection to our land, ensuring that our cultural heritage and sustainable farming methods rooted in aloha ʻāina remain strong and vibrant for years to come,” said Kumano I Ke Ala Executive Director Kaina Makua.

Kauaʻi program manager for Hawaiian Community Assets Cheyna Bargayo said the support from the Chan Zuckerberg Kaua‘i Community Fund empowers the organization’s team to expand its reach and deepen the nonprofit’s impact in the community.

The funds mean more Kaua‘i families will get the financial tools and affordable housing resources they need to be stable and secure.

“This grant fuels our commitment to building a resilient and thriving Kaua‘i community,” said Bargayo.

The grant also provides much-needed funds for Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project efforts to protect some of Hawaiʻi’s rarest forest birds, including the ʻakikiki, ʻakekeʻe and ʻanianiau.

“With this funding, we will be able to work towards preventing their extinction and restoring upland forests to make them a safe place for these species,” said Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project program manager Dr. Lisa “Cali” Crampton.

The Chan Zuckerberg Kauaʻi Community Fund was established in 2019. It has since supported more than 75 organizations around the island.

Zuckerberg is co-founder and chief executive officer of Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp, among other products and services, and is building a luxury estate on Kaua‘i..

He and Chan are also co-founders and co-chief executive officers of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which they started in 2015 to help solve some of society’s toughest challenges — from eradicating disease and improving education to addressing the needs of local communities.

For more information about the Chan Zuckerberg Kauaʻi Community Fund or Hawai‘i Community Foundation, click here and follow the foundation on social media.